Five adults charged in a brawl at a middle school pleaded not guilty

Five adults charged in a brawl at a Vermont middle school basketball game pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct. Alburgh residents Jacqueline Giroux, Jacques Giroux, and Jason O’Leary, and St. Albans residents Steven Carbone and Damien Kieu are all facing charges, only Jacqueline Giroux and O’Leary appeared in court. The others waived their right to appear in court. According to court paperwork, the fight between fans at the Alburgh vs. St. Albans game started in the stands when police say Giroux, O’Leary, and Jacques Giroux began exchanging words with Steven Carbone and Damien Kieu over the officiating. Police say video from the gym appears to show Jacqueline Giroux taking a swing at Kieu and that the fight then spilled out onto the court. Police say 60-year-old Russell Giroux, Jacqueline and Jacques Giroux’s father, was also involved in the fight. He suffered a fatal cardiac event while driving home. Prosecutors say there’s no evidence of a crime related to his death.